IT Solutions, Support, & Security Blog | iCorps Technologies

Migrating to Windows 7: The Advantage of Virtualization

Windows 7 is a Microsoft operating system that can be used on physical desktops but can also be implemented as part of a virtualized computing environment.

Physical Windows 7 Migration

Many companies who have moved to Windows 7 for their primary OS have noticed that the migration or upgrade process itself is time consuming when performed on individual physical desktops. One of the major factors that causes this is the need for existing Windows users to re-personalize their entire systems so that familiar shortcuts and applications settings are available to them. Once these are established, employees can work more productively, so it is worth the investment of time to put them back in place. There is no question of that, but what if there were a way to re-establish such settings without it requiring a large investment of employee time? This is where virtualization can become an enormous benefit.

Virtual Windows 7 Migration

Applications exist that can centrally manage all user settings in Windows 7 and apply them dynamically to virtual desktops that are created as users log onto the network to pursue their work. Using such a system means that application settings and information specific to individual users is ‘harvested’ from the old Microsoft OS on individual workstations prior to the migration to Windows 7. Once a virtualized environment has been established, these settings can be automatically ‘fed back’ into the system to create personalized desktops.

These kinds of IT solutions implemented as part of a managed program model mean that users need much less time to get back to regular workflow after the OS migration.